We're not whining -- we're mad

Published 6:20 pm, Thursday, February 24, 2011

To the editor:

Is pointing out the failures of our leaders considered whining (letter, Feb. 23)? The "whining" is not necessarily about the tax increases, but rather the unnecessary spending that brought us a troubled economy.

Because of over-the-top spending, our states face shortfalls. Then they tell us to sacrifice.

OK, no problem.

But what about the "whining" richest Americans who have not been asked to sacrifice, who have instead been rewarded? Remember the Bush tax cuts? They have been extended for two more years by our dear and compromising President Obama.

Case in point: If the cuts were allowed to expire, maybe the states' governors would not need to ask for sacrifices from an already struggling middle class, who, by the way, are finding it way too hard to even make a move, unlike our "wonderful" Sen. Dodd who bailed from Connecticut. He moved to Iowa. He and Barney Frank were major players in the whole banking debacle. He made his fortune by wheeling and dealing for and with banks. Thank you Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

It's not whining. It's being mad as hell, because we, the "whiners," have to pay for their careless abandon and total disregard. Forgive me, but we are overtaxed, overburdened overcharged, and overwhelmed. In a word, we got soaked.

It will be practically criminal if some organization does not step up to help Mr. Kessel put together a book or some other permanent memorial utilizing this priceless body of work ("Saving Stamford his own way," Angela Carella column, Feb. 23). This town has been torn down piece by piece over the past few decades; there should be some way to preserve this man's incredible efforts.

It is an amazing thing to see democracy breaking out all over in the Middle East and Africa, even after the United States' attempts to keep the status quo by supporting what everyone knows were incredibly brutal regimes.

In the `80s Ronald Reagan told us that Moammar Gadhafi was a "mad dog" and sent him an explosive message. I think in the anniversary of his 100th birthday it behooves all countries to support the Libyans' cause for freedom and win just one more for the Gipper.

After reading Chris Elsberry's Feb. 23 column, "Calhoun's image takes a big hit," I was annoyed. I disagreed with him completely. He states, I will paraphrase, that it will not matter that Jim had a stellar career, or that he won two championships, or that he is in the Hall of Fame. The only thing people will remember is this big black mark.

Wrong.

Please, do not speak for everyone. That is how this column was written. If that is your view fine, then it should read as such.

I for one like Jim Calhoun very much and think he is a great coach. Let us speak of those 2,000 phone calls Jim "knew" about. They could have said 4,000, and unless Mr. Calhoun admitted such, it is all supposition.

He is the head, so he takes the blame -- understood. In one statement Elsberry was way off base when he said that Jim Calhoun was tarnished forever. How quickly we forget even those coaches who should be disbarred. Calhoun will be just fine.

One thing is crystal clear, Jim will not be shunned, but it is convenient how they finally found something to pin on him. He would not roll earlier. Why was I not surprised to see this?